Fury might snub Anthony Joshua megafight, fears Ricky Hatton
Tyson Fury or Anthony Joshua unifying the heavyweight division is looking ever more distant, and Ricky Hatton fears the two Brits may never face-off in the ring.
The Gypsy King was forced into an unpopular third clash with Deontay Wilder this year, trashing advanced plans to stage the fight which would define its generation.
A fresh setback came just weeks before the 24 July date with Wilder, as Fury tested positive for Covid-19 and caused the bout to be pushed all the way back to October 9.
Joshua has also been forced into a mandatory defence of his belts against Oleksandr Usyk in September, and defeats for either would take a lot of historical weight off the match-up every fight fan wants.
‘We have lost one of the biggest fights of the summer. Fury vs Anthony Joshua now seems further away than ever,’ Hatton told Metro.
‘What happens now? It all just pushes the fight further back. As a fight fan, you fear the worst, the biggest fight in British boxing history, is it actually going to happen? It just seems we are doomed.
‘Tyson’s problems in the past with his depression, his mental health and battles with drink and drugs have been well documented in the past.
‘I remember Tyson saying to me ages ago: “I want a couple of warm-up fights then I want to beat Wilder. Then immediately after that, I want to fight AJ. And then I’m done.”
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‘Anthony Joshua is younger, he has less miles on the clock, he is an athlete 24-7. I know Tyson is an athlete 24-7 now but the damage he might have done to his body years back.
‘Tyson wants to get in, get out and prove he is the best fighter in the world. And the more it goes on, the more I worry that Tyson might just go: “F**k it.”‘
Fury received a barrage of criticism and called a ‘w****r and a disgrace to British boxing’ by Dillan Whyte after posting pictures of him enjoying the Las Vegas lifestyle just days after he announced his Covid positive.